Living with my Feet (and Mac’s Paws) Grounded in the Middle of our Mess

“Present is living with your feet firmly grounded in reality, pale and uncertain as it may seem. Present is choosing to believe that your own life is worth investing deeply in, instead of waiting for some rare miracle or fairytale. Present means we understand that the here and now is sacred, sacramental, threaded through with divinity even in its plainness. Especially in its plainness.” -Shauna Niequist

I looooove this quote. I’ve loved it ever since I first read it, but Mac has brought it to life for me! When I invested in Mac, I invested in my own life. He’s not a rare miracle, he’s a puppy, a companion and an addition to my family. He’s not a part of some fairytale, he’s the real deal. Our day to day reality is far from glamorous. Whether I’m fishing a dead rat out of his mouth (yes, that really happened), cleaning up pee in the hallway (because we didn’t quite make it outside) or chasing a wet puppy that’s escaped the bath, my feet (and in Mac’s case, paws) are planted amidst our new reality. And guess what?! …I love it (rats and all). Mac has helped me to grasp just how sacred the here and now really is. The undocumented, sweet and wild moments are special in their own way. Connecting with God through the smiles that Mac brings is something I’ve been struggling to put into words but what I can say, is that I believe in Shauna’s words more than ever. Our day to day life is threaded with God’s goodness, in the calm and in the chaos. I kid you not, sometimes I step outside and actually laugh out loud as we walk because Mac has done something totally ridiculous. I love that I’m able to smile and realize that my life, my boring, ‘I take my dog for a lot of walks’ life, is special beyond measure. And more than ever, I feel like I am living in my present reality, something I haven’t always been able to say. I am in awe of the joy my wild Mac continues to bring. Our life is messy, literally. My apartment has puppy toys scattered throughout more times than not and most days, there are trails of dirty paw prints coating my floors. But I love my life, my new reality and am grateful to be living with my feet and Mac’s paws grounded in the middle of our mess!

If you’re ever looking for books to read or words to inspire, I highly recommend Shauna Niequist’s books! I will link a couple of my favorites below!